Rotating rathole head



March 31, 1953 w. c. CARLISLE ROTATING RATHOLE HEAD 2 SHEETSSHEET 1Filed June 5, 1948 Fig. 2

Fig. 7

- ww 4T TORNE' Y5 Margh 31, 1953 w. c. CARLISLE 2,633,330

ROTATING RATHOLE HEAD Filed June 5, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 mm: 0. Gar/islefa rs Qw A T TORNE Y5 Patented Mar. 31, 1953 ROTATINGTRATHOLE HEADWillis 1). Carlie-1e, .Hufsmit-h, Tex ,assignor to Macco .Qil ToolCompany, Houston, Texas, a

partnership Application June '5, 1948, Serial :No. 31,292

The invention relates to a pipe support fitting for use in the rat-holeon a well drilling rig to facilitate the handlin of the several piecesof pipe which comprise the drill stem and Kelly joint.

In the drilling of wells by the rotary method, a drill bit is rotated byconnecting a piece of pipe thereto. .As the bit progresses into theearth, additional sections or pieces of pipe are added to form the drillstring. Present day Wells are often drilled to ten and fifteen thousandfeet in depth, so that a great number of 30-foot sections of drill pipeare needed.

When the drill becomes worn or iorsome other reason the drill pipe is tobe removed from the well, the entire drill string is hoisted anddisconnected and the top three or four sections disconnected and placedat the side of the derrick. This operation is repeated until the drillbit is retrieved for replacement or subject to the operation conductedas has been found necessary. The drill pipe is rotated by a non-circularmember known as the Kelly joint or grief stem. This grief stem isconnected with the swivel by which the drill pipe is supported by beingrtated by -the rotary table. The grief stem is gripped by the rotarytable so as to turn the drill pipe and bit. The drilling mud used toflush the cuttings to the surface, to cool the bit, and to well up thesides of the hole, is pumped through the swivel and down the drill pipe.When a new section .of pipe is to be utilized, this pipe will be placedat a convenient location close to the rotary table in a verticalposition, and such a hole is known as a mouse hole.

When the grief stem or Kelly joint is disconnected irom the pipe, italso must he placed at a convenient location, and to receive such Kellyjoint a rat hole is also provided.

The present invention directs itself t a meth- 0d and apparatus to beutilized on the ratand mouse-holes so as to conveniently support therief stem and pipe sections in the course of the connection anddisconnection of such pieces of pipe relative to the drill stem.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a rotatable head onthe top of a rator mouse-hole casing in order that the pipe disposed insuch hole may be readily rotated in the breaking out and making up ofthe threaded pipe connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cushion supportedrotatable head for supporting a piece of pipe in a rat-hole.

Still another object 01 the invention is to provide an assembly for arat-hole on drill rigs.

.Still another obiect oi the invention is to provide a -me'ans andmethod oi-suppor'tin'g pipe sections on a d-rill r ig so that suchsections may he expeditiously :connected or disconnected as desired.

still further object of the invention is to provide a removableconnecting head for mouseor rat-holes on drilling rigs.

Other and further objects of the invention wi be readily apparent whenthe following description is considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rator mousehole on a drilling rigillustrating the irw'e'ntio'n applied thereto and supporting a pipesection in position.

Figure '2 is a side elevation of the rotatable supporting :head for themouseor rat-hole.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4and illustrating a modified term of the rotating supporting head formouseand rat-holes.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line t oi Figure 5 is broken detailedsectional view of a removable connection for the supporting head, and istaken on the line 5-5 of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a transfer section looking down on the modification ofFigure 5..

Figure l is a top view looking on a diagrammatic-al arrangement of thederrick iloor of a drill rig.

in Figure 7 the derrick floor 2 is illustrative of the arrangement ofthe equipment of a drilling rig. The ihoist 3 is usually positioned atone side thereof, whereas the rotary table 4, having a non-circularopening ii and gripping the noncircular Kelly joint 6, isusualiydisposed approximately the center of the drilling rig. This rotary isdriven by means of connection I thereto.

When sections of the pipe are to be added or are removed from the drillstring or the trebles or fourbles of pipe are to be stacked in thecorner of the derrick, the draw works is utilized to hoist the Pipe. TheKelly joint swivel and elevator which are connected to the pipe must behoisted. It is desirable to have a rat-hole, such as ill, in which toposition the Kelly joint when it is not in use. Such a hole is seen inFigure l, and is an opening which has been drilled in the earth and inwhich the rat-hole casing H been positioned. This hole may be from 30 to10.0 feet in depth. The derrick floor 2 is shown while th rat-hole isseen at it in Figure 7.

The casing H is provided with suitable means,

such as the threadedconnection 12, which receives a coupling 13. Thiscoupling I3 has the head l3 disposed thereon and which head may besecured to the coupling i 3 by means of set screws l5.

The head 14 includes a support sleeve [6, which is the portion anchoredto the coupling l3.

The outer housing section I! of the head It is provided with the slotsl8 through which the studs i may extend. In this manner the housingportion I! may be vertically slidable but non rotatable relative to thecasing H.

This housing portion l1 supports the cap 28, which is utilized forretaining the support ring 2!, which forms part of the head. This ringor rotatable collar 2| is disposed on anti-friction bearings 22 and isheld in place with a hold-down ring 23 formed on the cap 20. A bearingring 25 is slidably arranged within the housing portion 41, and issupported upon a coiled spring 2! bearing against the upper end of thecoupling !3 or an adapter ring 28 on such coupling. In this manner theentire housing portion I1 is resiliently supported while the ring 25 isreadily rotatable.

Protector sleeve 30 extends downwardly to enclose the spring 21 andexclude drilling mud therefrom.

Figure 1 shows a pipe 32 as resting upon the housing portion I! inrotatable position. As a matter of fact, an elevator 34 encloses thepipe 3.2, and the enlarged box portion 35 rests directly on theelevator. In this manner the elevator may rotate with the pipe 32 or itmay remain stationary.

The pipe 3'! is merely illustrative of a Kelly joint or adapter which isconnected to such kelly. An elevator 38 is shown as supporting the kellywhen it is to be connected to or at the time it is disconnected from thepipe 32. In same instances the pipe 32 may be the Kelly joint.

The purpose is to provide a rotatable rat-hole connection which supportsthe pipe so that it is readily rotatable in making up the threadconnection 46 between the pipes 32 and 37 regardless of what type ofpipe these portions may represent.

The present practice is to rotate the pipe section 31 by means of acat-line wrapped around the pipe and upon which a pull is exerted in themaking up or breaking out of the threaded portion 48.

It is diilicult to rotate the pipe 31 because the weight thereof issupported from the crown block in the top of the derrick by the hoistingcable,

the traveling block, and, in some instances, the

swivel. Any rotation of the pipe 31 tends to rotate on this equipment,which is heavy and cumbersome.

With the use of the present invention the pipe 32 may be engaged, and isreadily rotatable because its weight may approximate only 600 pounds andmay be rotated on the bearings 22 in the head I! with ease. In theoperation of the invention in this manner the pipe 31 is lowered to restin and engage the pipe 32. This compresses the spring 21; however, asthe pipe 32 is rotated so as to threadedly engage pipe 31, thecompression of spring 21 tends to urge pipe 32 upwardly into engagementwith the pipe 31.

A lubricant fitting may be provided on the cap 20 so as to insure theproper lubrication o the bearings'22.

In some instances on the larger rigs, to expedite the adding of sectionsof pipe to the drill string, because of the high speed of thepenetration into the earth, it is desirable to have an auxiliaryrat-hole convenient to the rotary table 4, and Figure '7 shows such anopening in the form of a mouse-hole 42. This mouse-hole may or may notbe similarly equipped with the present invention of the rotating head sothat the section of pipe 32 therein will be readily rotatable; however,it is preferable that it be so equipped.

While the cushion for the rotating head is illustrated as a coil spring21, it seems obvious that various other types of cushion or resilientsupports may be used.

Figures 3 and 4 show a modified form of the rotating telescoping head I4wherein body 50 is connected to the upper end of the rat-hole casing Hby suitable means, such as threads or welds, and has an outstandingflange 5! to receive the thru bolts 52. If desired, the body 58 may beformed by an extension of the casing H. These thru bolts support aflange sleeve 53, which confines the supporting springs 54 so that thesleeve 53 is resiliently mounted.

The standard portion 55 of the sleeve is slidably arranged within thebody 50, and has the studs 56 slidable in the slots 51 so as to hold thesleeve 53 in non-rotatable position.

The support ring 58 is mounted on anti-friction bearings 59 carried bythe upper face of the sleeve 53. A hold-down ring 59' having a lip 68 isaffixed by the bolt 6! on the sleeve 53. This is a suitable assemblywhich can be readily removed by unscrewing the body 50 from the easing ii when the rig is being moved.

In some instances it is desirable to avoid any upstanding obstructionson the derrick floor 2, and Figure 5 shows a modified connection of thehead 15 to the casing 50 wherein the body 50 of Figure 3 has been madein two parts, the lower one of which, 62, is threaded on the casing ll,while the upper portion 63 is aiiixed to such .lower portion by thebolts 64.

In Figure 3 the adjusting nuts on the thru bolts 52 may be advanced inorder to compress the springs 54 in order to support the contemplatedload of pipe so as to provide a resilient support.

Broadly, the invention contemplates a rotatable rat-hole connectionfor-drilling rigs wherein pipe being added to or taken from the drillstring or other sections of pipe to be used are resiliently androtatably supported.

What is claimed is:

'l. A rat hole connection for well drilling rigs comprising a rat holecasing, a support sleeve secured to said casing, a housing fitting aboutsaid support sleeve, there being slots in said housing, studs projectingfrom said support sleeve and extending through said slots whereby saidhousing is slidable but non-rotatable relative to said support sleeve, aring on the inside surface of said support sleeve, a spring restingthereon, a bearing ring resting on the top of said spring and mountedwith said housing to move therewith, a protector sleeve mounted insidesaid bearing ring to enclose said spring, bearing means above saidbearing ring, a rotatable collar mounted on said bearing means, and anannular hold down ring connected to the top of said housing and engagingwith the rotatable collar to prevent movement therecf away from saidbearing means.

2. A rat hole connection for well drilling rigs comprising a rat holecasing, a support sleeve secured to said casing, a housing fitting aboutsaid support sleeve, there being slots in said housing, studs projectingfrom said support sleeve and extending through said slots whereby saidhousing is slidable but non-rotatable relative to said support sleeve, aring on the inside surface of said support sleeve, a spring restingthereon, a bearing ring resting on the top of said spring and mountedwith said housing to move therewith, a protector sleeve mounted insidesaid bearing ring to enclose said spring, bearing means above saidbearing ring, a rotatable collar mounted on said bearing means, and anannular hold down ring connected to the top of said housing whichengages said ring, said ring resting on top of said spring comprising abearing ring and a rotatable collar, anti-friction bearings disposedbetween said bearing ring and collar whereby said collar is rotatablerelative to said bearing ring.

WILLIS C. CARLISLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

